Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

DU Engineers have done it again: the failing water control structure at Lighthouse Road in Salem County will be replaced in early 2007. DU has hired a contractor to install the new structure, and permits have been approved.

The existing structure is a 48-inch-diameter riser with a 30-inch-diameter outlet pipe. This structure was designed to provide water level management on an 80-acre marsh north of Lighthouse Road. However, adjusting that water control structure seasonally requires trained divers to get into the water upstream of Lighthouse Road. As a result, the roadway sometimes floods during surprise storm events because no one is able to adjust the construction to accept flood capacities. The new structure will be able to withstand a 100-year storm event.